Today is National Homeless Persons Memorial Day - we choose Invisible People Tv to speak for us today.
We know that you don't like the Homelessness in America, so we ask you to Remind Your Legislators that Today Homelessness Needs to End.
Lastweek we saw rich dc politicians arguing about a tax bill for the 99ers' and families which recently lost their only income - Unemployment Benefits. They are arguing about helping Feed America, and Give it a Home - after these very same Americans Paid Taxes. How can you deny a person help when they've paid taxes ?
Isn't it time we asked our Rich Politicans How They Do That ?
The real american version of the tax incentive bill was not passed, because the Rich Republicans needed a Bigger Piece of the Pie - FOR THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY RICH.
Today we ask - If Politicians can give huge tax breaks to the rich, why not just a few dollars for the Homelesss ?
I need a few minutes to catch my breath after that one folks. y'all know I started this year out on a NO BS Platform; and this is jumping up and down on that platform. when I saw this tonite on the Current TeeVee Site I was flumoxed. wtf ? this had to be a photoshop game ? oh noooo this is the actual copy of the form that the US Census will be asking it's citizens to complete. complete with the derogatory term clearly included.
well, lets just think about this Black People - this is not to cut out my Non Black readers; just specifically targeted to those who I believe are most impacted by it:
When in Your Lifetime Have YOU Been a NEGRO ? for me, Negro was on my original birth certificate from the 1950's. it was also on my moms birth certificate. that means at least from the 1950's it was seen. my son was born in 1973 and it isn't on his birth certificate at all. it says Black. my present birth certificate says African American. it was issued in the 1990's. My Passport has NO Race in it. only nationality of US.
now just for the sake of argument, Black Peoples how do you like regressing thanks to the US Congress approval of this derogatory piece of us population documentation material ? I doubt anyone will say yes so I won't waste space putting up a poll.
just so you know i'm not trippin off my own supply - here's the real deal from Current's Site.
(Jan. 6) -- As the government prepares to roll out the 2010 Census on March 15, one of the 10 questions on the form already has people cringing. Question 9 asks respondents to designate their race and gives them the option of choosing "Negro," a term many have considered derogatory and antiquated for years.
The question asks "What is person 1's race?" Of the 15 possible options, one is "Black, African Am., or Negro."
The Office of Management and Budget sets racial definitions for the Census Bureau and all federal statistical reporting. In its standards, it says a "Black or African American" person is "A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. Terms such as 'Haitian' or 'Negro' can be used in addition to 'Black or African American.'"
The agency last revised its standards in 1997, and the new definitions first appeared on the 2000 Census, which was also the first time people could identify as more than one race.
A U.S. Census Bureau spokesperson told the Web site The Grio that while the word "Negro" may be old-fashioned, there are still people who prefer to use it to identify themselves. She said the census questions were well-tested and that it was determined that using the word "outweighed the potential negatives."
Still, to many the word "Negro" is a throwback to Lester Walton's days, to slavery, Jim Crow laws and segregation.
The term may have been a preferable delineation of black heritage in 1913 when Lester A. Walton, managing editor of the New York Age, the country's first African-American newspaper, wrote a letter to The Associated Press imploring the group to use the term to refer to a race of people, not a skin color.
"The Census Bureau, in taking the last census, defined as Negroes those who were black. As the majority of my people are not black, in making out the census papers submitted by the enumerators, thousands classed themselves as either mulattoes or of mixed parentage. Others who were not black classed themselves as Negroes," he wrote.
But a century later, the distinction is antiquated and reprehensible to many.
"I don't think my ancestors would appreciate it in 2010," Pamela Reese Smith, a 56-year-old Rochester, N.Y., native, told the New York Daily News. "I don't want my grandchildren being called Negroes."
Look since this is Tricky Thursday - Everybody Please, for thesafety of everybody's safety;lets not get into the habit of calling each other Negroes. Because trust me - it could get physical, esepcially if it's me you try to refer to as a negro in 2010. I promise you it will get physical, with the quickness babies.
01/08/10* UPDATE - THIS KFC COMMERCIAL FROM AUSTRALIA MAKES MY POINT
Chicken conglomerate KFC is claiming that a controversial ad playing in Australia wasn't racist, even though it shows a white man passing out a bucket of chicken to raucous black sports fans sitting near him.
The ad, which has been pulled by KFC, was never intended for U.S. broadcast, but when it was posted on YouTube, the ad caused a stir worldwide.
The commercial features a white Australian cricket fan looking exasperated as black supporters of a rival team are loudly cheering. The white fan asks aloud how to get out of an "awkward situation." He then whips out a bucket of KFC chicken, and the black fans greedily start munching.
A racial conflagration is averted, and the white man says aloud, "Too easy."
There is no doubt that if you are looking to be offended, the commercial supplies plenty of ammo. Here in the United States, the stereotype of black people loving fried chicken has been a staple of racist jokes for generations.
I received this note tonite from a dear friend, and decided to forgo todays prepared post in favor of this very powerful One To One Message of Unity.
do you realize that some of our legislators work as little as 45 days total for the year, and claim upwards of a quarter of a Million Dollars Yearly Until They DIE. this happens after they serve just ONE TERM.
I invite you to join me in a mass repost of this message - with an email to your legislators. let them know that you think that it's time they addressed The Real Golden Fleece.
Let them know that You Want Them to Stand Up and Do The Right Thing NOW.
No More Delays on the Righting of this wrong. BadGals and Our Entire Posse' will be reposting this message on our blogs over the course of this week; to let everyone know where we stand on the Real Fleecing Of America.
How Can Legislators Ask Us for More when They are Taking More From Us ?
LET US SHOW OUR LEADERS IN WASHINGTON "PEOPLE POWER" AND THE POWER OF THE INTERNET. PLEASE FORWARD TO ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU ARE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT!
KEEP IT GOING!!!!
Propose this in 2009:
START A BILL TO PLACE ALL POLITICIANS ON SOCIAL SECURITY
------------ --------- --------- ----
SOCIAL SECURITY:
(This is worth reading. It is short and to the point.)
Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions during election years.
Our Senators and Congresswomen do not pay into Social Security and, of course, they do not collect from it
You see, Social Security benefits were not suitable for persons of their rare elevation in society. They felt they should have a special plan for themselves So, many years ago they voted in their own benefit plan.
In more recent years, no congress person has felt the need to change it. After all, it is a great plan.
For all practical purposes their plan works like this:
When they retire, they continue to draw the same pay until they die. Except it may increase from time to time for cost of living adjustments. .... ALSO YOU ONLY HAVE TO BE ELECTED FOR ONE TERM TO COLLECT THIS BENEFIT.
For example, Senator Byrd and Congressman White and their wives may expect to draw $7, 800,000.00 (that's Seven Million, Eight-Hundred Thousand Dollars), with their wives drawing $275, 000..00 during the last years of their lives.This is calculated on an average life span for each of those two Dignitaries.
Younger Dignitaries who retire at an early age, will receive much more during the rest of their lives.
Their cost for this excellent plan is $0.00. NADA!!! ZILCH!!!
This little perk they voted for themselves is free to them. You and I pick up the tab for this plan. The funds for this fine retirement plan come directly from the General Funds;
"OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK"!
From our own Social Security Plan, which you and I pay (or have paid) into, every payday until we retire (which amount is matched by our employer), We can expect to get an average of
$1,000 per month after retirement.
Or, in other words, we would have to collect our average of $1,000 monthly benefits for 68 years and one (1) month to equal Senator Bill Bradley's benefits!
Social Security could be very good if only one small change were made.
That change would be to Jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan from under the Senators and Congressmen. . Put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us
Then sit back.....And see how fast they would fix it!
If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted and maybe good changes will evolve.
How many people can YOU send this to?
Better yet......How many people WILL you send this to ?
Each of the different news stations that covered this story, in their local area; showed different versions. This was clear, and it prompted us to wonder why the stories were shot differently ?
were they catering to their locality ?
was there a Black Producer on One and a White Producer on the other one ?
what made this story appear differently in all the versions of this tape and the story; that we've read over the past few days ?
is american racism now hybridizing ? it appears that there seems to be regionalism coming into play in these cases.
during this week - we'll again be pointing out examples of regionalizm of racism and it's hybridization. strange but of course, american still - sadly.
The "Cuddle with Me" doll package he complained about includes an African-American doll and a plush monkey. The baby doll is wearing a hat that reads, "Lil' Monkey."
The dolls were sold exclusively at Costco stores in the Northeast and Southeast.
The Reporting of the story has taken several slants - and we wonder if the doll; or the reporting is more of a problem. the doll is absolutely racist - but the reporters in each case seem to be looking at it differently. the two white reporters shown first seem trapped into reporting it - where the Black and White Reporters shown second, seem to give more attention to detail - Why is it that this would be a choice in attitude when reporting a very worthy news story ?
Does the news media really think we see things differently if we're different races ? could it be true ? Racism is Racism and it's Wrong - regardless of who you are. when you grow up in America - you know it's wrong. so why are these reports so much different on the same story by two different news teams ?
The bottom line is that this story like the one on the kids drill team before it; says that America is still attempting to silently program racism into it's children; and maintain it inside societal mores'; however covertly. as well it seems, the media still continues to instill its racial mores' into the adults; who watch the news and are buying these toys.
Brutally Sad but True... right before our eyes, on the National News.
This cartoon illustrates the story below - Stupidity at Work Today.
America, How Can You Continue to Build on a Legacy of Hatred ?
This is absolutely stupid - I saw this on Aldon Hynes' blogtoday; and it pissed me off to no end. how the scenario played out according to the article points out some fundamental issues that seem to be too American, for America.
Please Be Sure to Continue to below the article to read Aldons' Very Well Written Letter - which has received NO Response yet from Sheraton.
Leave the Kids out of your Damn Racism Adults - Really Doh
Dixwell’s drill team soared to victory in a national competition in Kansas City — then saw its trip cut short by a late-night visit from the cops.
The Nation Drum and Drill Squad took a bus ride back to New Haven Wednesday after scoring gold and silver trophies in a national drill team competition.
Their return trip came one day earlier than planned — after an early-morning wake-up call from the police.
In what staff called a “highly unusual” move, the Sheraton Kansas City Sports Complex Hotel evicted the 35 kids and 13 chaperons from their hotel rooms at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, citing repeated noise complaints from people who were trying to sleep nearby.
The hotel called in police officers to kick the group out. No arrests were made.
Doug Bethea, leader of the Nation Drill Team, called the eviction a “horrible” end to an otherwise successful trip.
“I’ve never in my life experienced something like this,” Bethea said. He accused the hotel of racial discrimination and vowed to litigate.
“It all boils down to, they had 48 black people in their hotel and they did not like it,” Bethea said. The hotel denied that charge.
Bethea, the founder and head of the Nation squad, has been leading the group to national competitions for 21 years. The competition is in a different city each year. This year’s trip started out well: On Tuesday, the group scored first place in the junior division precision category, and second place in the senior division “fancy trick” category, in which they were defending champs. Click here and on the play arrow to read about how hard they worked to get there.
After the competition, the trip took a turn for the worse, Bethea said. He described Wednesday morning as the breaking point of a week of discriminatory treatment from hotel staff.
“Get Out Of Here Now”
Ten police officers banged on his hotel door wielding Taser stun guns at about 1:30 a.m., he said. Hotel staff was there, too.
“We want you guys out of here now,” they told the drill team, according to Bethea. The cops didn’t use the Tasers, but their presence scared the kids, he said.
Bethea was outraged. He said at that time, the only people who were awake were four adults and four college-aged kids. They were hanging out together in one hotel room, giggling, laughing and telling stories. The drill team folks in the other nine rooms were asleep, he said.
He asked why the police needed to wake up all the children, including three babies, in the middle of the night.
“There’s no justification” for that, he said. He asked the hotel to let these kids stay; he would get them out in the morning.
The hotel refused.
According to the hotel’s general manager, Ted Frerking, Bethea had already been warned that the group was on the verge of eviction. Staff had received repeated complaints about the group being noisy ever since the drill team checked in Sunday night, he said. On Tuesday at 10:30 p.m., they got two more noise complaints from guests.
Hotel staff gave the drill team a “final warning,” Frerking said. Then, at 1:20 a.m., they got two more guest complaints. They made the decision to kick the group out. Since it was such a large group, they called police for help with the eviction, Frerking said.
Bethea said the situation was tense. Parents and some older kids on the trip “wanted to stand their ground.” Some of the kids “were ready to fight the police officers.”
Bethea said he complied with the officers’ request, in order to defuse the situation.
“Let’s get out of here before anyone gets hurt,” he told them. With police standing guard, the group packed up its belongings and left at 2:30 a.m., Bethea said. He pulled $400 from his own pocket to find rooms to stay in at a nearby Days Inn.
The eviction was carried through without incident, according to Sgt. Stacey Graves, a public information officer for the Kansas City police. She confirmed that a staff person at the hotel called police at 1:20 a.m. Wednesday. The caller said a large group was refusing to leave the hotel. They were “arguing about payment, and arguing with security,” she said. Police showed up at the hotel and resolved the issue, she said. She said the police did carry Tasers, which are standard issue on police uniforms. No arrests were made and no police report was written, she said.
“A Reality Call”
Reached by phone Wednesday, Bethea and two members of the trip said they had been discriminated against by the hotel all week. Bethea said the New Haveners were among the few black people at the largely white hotel.
Racial tension first materialized Monday night, when about five teenagers went down to the hotel bar to get something to eat. An intoxicated patron at the bar made a remark to the effect of “wow, look at the black people,” according to Bethea. Heated words flew.
Bethea was called downstairs to resolve the situation. There was no fight, but the kids were on the verge. “These kids were ready to do whatever they had to do to survive,” he said.
Frerking said the New Haven kids misconstrued a statement made by a bar patron. He said they thought the remark was about them, but it wasn’t.
Diane Wilson, a chaperon and the grandmother of a 11-year-old on the trip, said racial profiling took other forms, too: The group wasn’t given room service for two days, was denied new rolls of toilet paper, and was subjected to racially charged remarks by hotel staff, she asserted.
As one hotel staffer got off an elevator, she was overheard saying “there’s a bunch of them running around here,” Wilson said. Wilson took the remark to have a racial connotation.
Ronald Huggins said he heard a female staffer say the New Haven kids were “all over the place like roaches.” Huggins, Bethea’s nephew, drums on the drill team and helps manage the team.
Frerking said he didn’t know anything about those allegations. He denied the group was mistreated on account of race.
“We treat all our guests fairly. It had nothing to do with the group other than the noise,” said Frerking. “Like any room, if they’re noisy, we would ask them to depart.”
He called the situation “unfortunate,” but said the hotel “has the responsibility to maintain quiet and restful environment.”
The disruption was starting to be costly, he added: Frerking said the hotel has had to compensate seven guests with free nights’ stays on account of the drill team’s noise.
“We’ve got to respect the concerns of the other guests as well,” he said. The hotel plans to reimburse the drill team for Tuesday and Wednesday nights’ stays, he added.
Meanwhile, reached on the 22-hour bus ride back to New Haven, Bethea vowed to file a racial discrimination lawsuit.
To top off their trip, Bethea and Huggins said the group was called “monkeys” by a client at the second hotel. The person told them to “go back to Africa,” according to Huggins.
“I’m upset and appalled,” said Huggins. He said the trip served as “a reality call” for the kids on the team, many of whom don’t otherwise get to leave New Haven. He said the trip showed him that in America, “certain parts have progressed, and other parts are still behind.”
Next year, the national competition will be in Las Vegas. Bethea said he doesn’t expect any problems there.
The experience in Kansas City “won’t stop me from doing competitions,” he said. “This is what I live for.”
From: Aldon Hynes [mailto:Aldon.Hynes]
Sent: Friday, August 07, 2009 9:33 AM
To: publicrelations@starwoodhotels.com
Subject: Alleged Racial Profiling at Sheraton Kansas City Sports Complex
Hotel
One of the top news stories in Connecticut right now is about New Haven
Connecticut's Dixwell National Drum and Drill Squad which won gold and
silver trophies at the Elks Grand Lodge World National Championships in
Kansas City.
"In what staff called a “highly unusual” move, the Sheraton Kansas City
Sports Complex Hotel evicted the 35 kids and 13 chaperons from their hotel
rooms at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, citing repeated noise complaints from people
who were trying to sleep nearby.
The hotel called in police officers to kick the group out. No arrests were
made."
I am interested in writing a follow-up to these articles, and I am wondering
if you have any comments.
Has anyone from any of these news outlets contacted the public relations
department for Starwood Hotels?
If so, can you tell me anything about which organizations contacted you and the nature of their questions?
If not, had this reached the public relations department, or is this the
first you have heard of it? If you have already heard of this, where did
you hear about it? How does your department track stories that could affect the image of your hotel properties?
Will Starwood Hotels do any sort of internal investigation of the event
and/or issue any sort of press release?
Are there security camera tapes that substantiate or contradict the
statements about "children running down the hallway and music blaring"?
According to the New Haven Register article, hotel manager Ted Frerking
claimed to have received numerous noise complaints from other guests since the group arrived Sunday afternoon and checked into 10 rooms. Are records kept of these phone calls? Can the number of phone calls be reported?
Frerking also claimed that one-too-many angry guests grew upset. How many is that? Is there any way I can contact any of the guests that Mr. Frerking is talking about? What are Starwood's policies concerning evicting guests?
The article also reports that Doug Bethea, leader of the Nation Drill Team,
claims Sheraton hasn’t compensated them for leaving their rooms two nights
early. What are the policies for reimbursing guests who are asked to leave
early?
I realize that this may be a complex issue in respecting the rights of all
patrons, those celebrating from a national victory as well as those seeking
a good night sleep. I also realize that with the possibility of pending
litigation, you may be limited about what you can say. However, I do
believe that this provides an important opportunity to examine how a
corporation chooses to address a volatile situation and any insights into
how you are arriving at what statements you make would also be greatly
appreciated.
I am writing for a 3 PM deadline, so please plan your response accordingly.
This is the video from the officers of cambridge mass in support of their fellow officer sgt crowley. the female who speaks, makes me want to slap my monitor. I will stop there as I am sure everyone will have their own opinion of this little demonstration and exercise in "Can't We All Just Get Along-ism". why didn't they just start singing "kum baya"
later this evening, the president - professor gates and sgt crowley are said to be sitting down to discuss the episode over a beer. the entire episode has now turned itself inside out; and the victim is now the attacker.
I am still not feeling this fake commiseration because the episode that occured, cannot be resolved with simply a bottle of beer. Glen Beck is on tv calling the president a racist; and we tolerate that bs ?
why do we now need amnesia when we can see what led to this ? why not really talk about the problem HONESTLY; and work on a REAL Solution. Lets work out a way for this bs to never ever happen to Anyone Ever Again in America.
Sometimes The Media can be a very bad influence on Reality; as we can see from this case.
Today Bloggers Unite for Hunger and Hope, across the Blogosphere.
Hunger and Hope is a cause that involves each and every mouth on this planet.
we added our names to the role and decided this was a perfect time to talk about getting that kitchen and backyard action going. but first we wanted to remind you that every night in america, a child goes to bed hungry. that's just plain not right, in a nation where so much is wasted by so few. the politics of food is just as complex as the politics of clean water.
people die for food and still they are hungry. think of the lil girl in the picture above and remember that america is a land of plenty, for such a few.
isn't it time we started examining our realities a little closer..
BILL MOYERS JOURNAL | Hunger in America | PBS
we take a look at the First Families' Efforts to Return to Kitchen Gardening. Victory Gardening has been around for as long as the whitehouse. Mrs. Obama is the first resident in recent years to bring the garden back, and we think it was high time. we also offer you a look at the Green Revolution, and why Mrs. Obama joined it a long time ago - she knew, Hunger Kills.
First Lady Michele Obama breaks ground for an organic vegetable garden on the White House lawn.
Photo courtesy of The White House
On March 20, 2009, First Lady Michele Obama celebrated the first day of spring by using her famously well-toned biceps to pick up a shovel and break ground for an organic vegetable garden at the White House. (See the official layout [pdf] of the new White House garden.)
Educating Children a Primary Goal of White House Garden
In talking with reporters about the new garden, the first lady got down and dirty about the benefits of good nutrition and the need to educate children, families and whole communities about the importance of a healthful diet, especially at a time when obesity and diabetes have become national health crises.
Twenty-three fifth graders from Bancroft Elementary School in Washington, DC, helped the first lady dig up the 1,100-square-foot garden plot on the south lawn of the White House, which is near the tennis courts and the swing set the Obamas installed for their daughters and can be seen by people passing by on E Street. The plan is to have the students stay involved in planting, tending, harvesting and cooking the presidential produce.
White House Garden to Feed First Family and the Homeless
The Obamas will grow dozens of varieties of vegetables, berries and herbs—a wish list of fresh produce prepared by the White House kitchen staff—and the first lady said that everyone in the first family will help care for the garden. The garden harvest will become part of the Obamas’ daily fare, contribute to state dinners, and be shared with Miriam’s Kitchen, a nearby soup kitchen for the homeless.
The organic vegetable garden will use only natural fertilizers and pest control methods. Two beehives will be installed and tended by a member of the White House staff. The bees will help pollinate the garden and provide honey for the president’s table.
Obamas’ White House Garden Part of a Long Tradition
Planting an organic vegetable garden at the White House is a potent symbol, but it is not a new idea. Gardening and agriculture have been part of the White House culture at many times throughout its history.
Eleanor Roosevelt planted a victory garden on the White House lawn in 1943, inspiring millions of Americans to start their own backyard gardens during World War II. President John Adams, a farmer as well as a lawyer, planted a garden soon after taking office and tended it carefully throughout his presidency. Thomas Jefferson grazed cattle on the White House lawn, Woodrow Wilson kept sheep, and some histories claim that George Washington refused a third term as president in part because he missed his garden at Mount Vernon.
White House Garden Intended to Inspire Americans
Planting an organic vegetable garden at the White House in the midst of a serious recession, and at a time when Americans are increasingly concerned about the environment, sends a powerful message of health, sustainability and self-reliance. The first lady encouraged all Americans to take that message to heart, even if they are unable to plant a garden and grow their own vegetables.
“You can begin in your own cupboard,” she told the New York Times, “by eliminating processed food, trying to cook a meal a little more often, trying to incorporate more fruits and vegetables.”
(end of article clip)
This video is all about the Freedom Garden and the Homegrown Revolution. I suggest We All Join Immediately. the rewards will be greater than you could ever imagine. Good Health, Good Spirit and Good Eating.
The Reporting of the story has taken several slants - and we wonder if the doll; or the reporting is more of a problem. the doll is absolutely racist - but the reporters in each case seem to be looking at it differently.
the two white reporters shown first seem trapped into reporting it - where the Black and White Reporters shown second, seem to give more attention to detail - Why is it that this would be a choice in attitude when reporting a very worthy news story ?
Today Bloggers Unite for Hunger and Hope, across the Blogosphere.
